Tab opening device



Nov; 9 1. J. 1.. ILLIAMS 2,263,821

TAB OPENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 1'7, 1939 JOSE ALMe Lou/5e Wi 11mm;

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1941 EJNETE.

TAB OPENING DEVICE Josephine Louise Williams, Henrico County, Va.,

assignor to Molins Machine pompany, Incorporated, a corporation of Virginia Application October 17, 1939, Serial No. 299,804

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a tab opening device and is more particularly applicable to packages, containing cigarettes or the like, wrapped in transparent or other suitable material, and of which the latter is desired to be opened so as to gain access to the wrapped package.

The inventor is aware of several types of such devices now on the market that are especially adapted to cigarette and chewing gum packages. So far as the inventor is aware, all such packages wrapped in transparent paper, commonly termed Cellophane, employ or utilize a thin ribbon-like member that is affixed, usually by sealing, to the wrapper, and which, when pulled properly, carries with it the sealed portion of the wrapper, thereby dividing the wrapper and thus enabling one to remove one or more of the divided portions.

It is therefore obvious from the foregoing described method of severing the wrapper that a series of useless operations are necessary before access is gained to the package.

Therefore, in overcoming the objectionable features hereinbefore set forth, one of the objects of this invention is the provision of a device adapted to open a containing wrapper in one operation and in such a manner that the portion unopened will remain upon the package about which it is wrapped.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an opening device that will create an aperture at any desired part at the top of the package, and thereby provide free access to that part of said package.

Other objects and features will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional top plan view of the wrapper embodying the invention; Fig. 2 a sectional side view disclosing a package enclosed in the wrapper and embodying invention; Fig. 3 a perspective of the wrapper in combination with invention; Fig. 4 a sectional top plan view; Fig. a modification in sectional top plan view; Fig. 6 the modification in sectional side view, and Fig. '7 a perspective of the modification.

Referring to the drawing a wrapper 1 consists of a sheet of flexible material 2 to which is attached a tab 3, and a strip 4, of flexible material, is attached to flexible material 2 and tab 3, thus securing the materials and a portion of the tab securely together and permitting the unsecured portion of said tab to extend freely beyond the lapped edges.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 a package 5 is enclosed in the wrapper and the tab 3 (see Fig. 3) extends freely beyond the wrapper.

It is obvious from the foregoing that when the tab is properly pulled it will remove that portion of the wrapper material that is sealed to said tab, and create an aperture in the wrapper thus permitting free access to the package.

When an aperture has been created at the top of the wrapper by means of the tab, a portion of strip 4 remains below the aperture and is fitted over the edge of the package so as to prevent the wrappers disengagement from the package.

It will be observed that the tab in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is adapted to remove the entire top of the wrapper.

Referring to the modification a wrapper I0 is formed in similar fashion to that described relative Fig. 1, and consists of a sheet of flexible material II, a strip l2 and tab l3 all fastened together as hereinbefore described.

In the modification (Fig. 7) the tab only removes a portion of the top of the wrapper leaving the remaining part of the top covering the package, so as to prevent the wrappers disengagement from the package.

It is therefore obvious from the foregoing that the modification differs from the prime invention in so far as the latter removes a greater portion of the top of the wrapper than does the said modification.

By the provision of small nicks in the wrapping material in close proximity to the tab the removal of said material by the tab is greatly facilitated, and this is well known in the art, though not disclosed in the drawing. 7

Having described this invention, what i claimed is:

A package in combination with a wrapper therefor, said wrapper comprising a strip sealed to a sheet and forming therewith an overlapped seam, a tab substantially the width of the end of the package and having a substantial portion thereof sealed to said sheet and the remaining portion projecting from said sheet through said seam, said seam being substantially longitudinally disposed about said package, and said tab being disposed along the end of the package longitudinally thereof with the projecting portion in ready access for opening the package.

JOSEPHINE LOUISE WILLIAMS. 

